Rams bounce back to upend B-HP

Westside 16, B-HP 14

HONEA PATH - Losing last week to rival T.L. Hanna was tough for Westside coach Ted Luckadoo and the Rams.

Two Belton-Honea Path drives into Friday's game, the Rams felt disappointment all over again, trailing 14-0. But frustration turned to all smiles when Rams quarterback Brandon McCann found Demetrious Swinger in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown to give Westside its first lead with 4:02 left in the game. It was enough to earn the Rams their first victory of the season in a 16-14 escape over B-HP (0-2).

"After the week we've been through it's easy to get down," Luckadoo said. "I told our kids, ‘Stay in there, keep working, keep plugging. We'll make something happen.' Our kids kept working and the defense did a heck of a job after those first two drives."

The game-winning drive for Westside (1-1) began on its own 36 with 8:33 left and down by four. Luckadoo opted to go with McCann over Tavius Jackson in the Rams' two-QB system.

"We know the young man can do it," Luckadoo said. "With Tavius, his time will come. But we're going to go with the hot hand. Brandon had it."

The junior didn't disappoint, converting two third-down conversions through the air on the drive. It set up the touchdown pass that had McCann rolling to his left and launching a jump ball just inside the front pylon in the end zone. Swinger leaped above the Bears' defenders, making a spectacular catch to give Westside the final lead.

"I told my team at the beginning of the game I had they're back and I was going to show them who the real quarterback was tonight," said McCann, who completed 11 of his 22 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. "I knew I didn't play good last week and I knew I could be a whole lot better. I just wanted to show my team who they could count on down there in a situation like that."

Westside safety Anthony McCoppin sealed the win after picking off B-HP quarterback Nino Woolridge, his third INT of the night, at midfield with 49 seconds left.

It was the Bears' second consecutive loss to a Region 1-AAAA team — Laurens knocked them off last week, 36-7 — but it couldn't have started any better.

On the game's first play from scrimmage, Woolridge, who rushed for 100 yards on 18 carries, threw a long pass that connected with Jacob Tavernier down the middle of the field for a 65-yard touchdown pass to put B-HP up 7-0. The Bears added another score on their next drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Chancey Latimer.

"I think we played real hard, but we didn't necessarily play well," B-HP coach Wayne Green said. "It was better than last week. I expect it to be better next week. We just made some mistakes that ultimately cost us."

The Rams fought back over the final three quarters, scoring their first TD on a reverse play down the right side to Zay Smith that ended in a 26-yard score that cut B-HP's lead to 14-10 at halftime.

"Attitude's going to be a whole lot better," Luckadoo said about next week's game at D.W. Daniel. "When you can win a ball game it makes everything a lot sweeter, and we're going to hopefully use that."